Channel Access Method And Apparatus Using The Same In Wireless Local Area Network System

• US 20140023053A1
• Filed: 04/26/2012
• Published: 01/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Park, Jong Hyun, Kim, Suh Wook, Kim, Eun Sun, Seok, Yong Ho
• Granted Patent: US 9,258,813 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/336
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/02 Access restriction performed under specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/10 using broadcasted information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/002 Transmission of channel access control information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/006 in the downlink, i.e. towards the terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0825 with collision detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/186 Processing of subscriber group data

Abstract

A method of apparatus for channel access in a wireless local area network is provided. A station receives a channel access control message including group indication information indicating a group of stations allowed to access a channel from an access point. The station attempts contention for accessing the channel if the station belongs to the group indicated by the group indication information.

Claims

1. A channel access method, performed by a station (STA), in a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) system, the method comprising:

receiving a channel access control message from an Access Point (AP), the channel access control message including group indication information indicating a group of STAs allowed to access a channel; and

attempting contention for accessing the channel if the STA belongs to the group indicated by the group indication information.

2. The channel access method of claim 1, wherein the channel access control message further comprises offset information indicating a start time of the contention for accessing the channel and duration information indicating duration for which the contention for accessing the channel is allowed.

3. The channel access method of claim 2, further comprising:

transmitting type information of the STA to the AP; and

receiving, from the AP, group information indicating the group to which the STA belongs.

4. The channel access method of claim 3, wherein the type information includes at least one of application information, traffic pattern information, duty cycle information, location information, and listen interval information of the STA.

5. The channel access method of claim 3, wherein the AP determines the group to which the STA belongs based on the type information.

6. The channel access method of claim 3, wherein:

the type information is included in an association request frame transmitted from the STA to the AP, and

the group information is included in an association response frame transmitted from the AP to the STA in response to the association request frame.

7. The channel access method of claim 2, wherein the channel access control message is transmitted through a beacon frame.

8. The channel access method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving group type information about each of groups from the AP; and

transmitting request group information, indicating a group to which the STA wants to belong and which is determined by the STA based on the group type information, to the AP.

9. The channel access method of claim 8, further comprising receiving group information, indicating the group to which the STA belongs and which is determined by the AP based on the request group information, from the AP.

10. The channel access method of claim 2, wherein the STA sets a Network Allocation Vector (NAV) for duration indicated by the duration information starting from a time indicated by the offset information, if the STA does not belong to the group indicated by the group indication information.

11. A station (STA) operating in a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) supporting a channel access method based on a group, the STA comprising a processor configured to:

receive a channel access control message, including group indication information indicating a group of STAs allowed to access a channel, from an Access Point (AP); and

attempt contention for accessing the channel, if the STA belongs to the group indicated by the group indication information.

12. The STA of claim 11, wherein the channel access control message further comprises offset information, indicating a start time of the contention for accessing the channel, and duration information indicating duration for which the contention for accessing the channel is allowed.

13. The STA of claim 12, wherein the processor is configured to:

transmit type information of the STA to the AP; and

receive group information, indicating the group to which the STA belongs, from the AP.

14. The STA of claim 12, wherein the processor is configured to:

receive group type information about each of groups from the AP; and

transmit request group information, indicating a group to which the STA wants to belong and which is determined by the STA based on the group type information, to the AP.

15. The STA of claim 12, wherein the STA sets a Network Allocation Vector (NAV) for duration indicated by the duration information starting from a time indicated by the offset information, if the STA does not belong to the group indicated by the group indication information.